No.P/MX 58043, Ordnance Artificer 1st class, William Neville HUNT
Aged 47
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William Neville Hunt was born in Soham on 4th December 1893,(Newmarket Q1-1894 3B:532), baptised in Soham on 26th October 1902, son of Thomas Barnet and
Susan HUNT (née SPRING).
1901 census...Aged 7, he was at Station Road, Soham with his widowed grandmother Mary SPRING [56] born Bottisham. His parents were at Waterside. Father Thomas B. HUNT [41] Millwright and Agricultural Machinist born Soham; his mother Susan [36] born Bottisham Lode; brother Thomas C [9]; sisters Ethel M [6], J. [3] (Jessie ?) and Florence [1]. all the children born in Soham. On 6th February 1915 William attested for the Army Service Corps at Grove Park, London. He gave his age as 21 years 2 months, a fitter/turner from Waterside,Soham. He was 5 feet 4.75 inches (164.4 cm) tall weighed 124 lbs (56.2 kg), chest 35" to 37" (88.9 to 94 cm). Next of kin, his father Thomas Hunt. He was given number M2/048596. Serving at home until 24th July 1915, from 18th Div. Ammunition Park, he embarked at Southampton on "Duchess of Argyle" on 25th July and joined the Repairs Unit in Rouen on the 27th. Moved to 319 MT Coy., 4th September 1915. He was injured while working at a grindstone in the workshop at Rosieres on 23rd March 1917. He eventually ended up with No 1. Workshop D Siege Park attached 4th Corps BEF. Repatriated to England he was demobilised at Thetford Disposal Camp on 20th January 1919 and transferred to Z Reserve in 17th February 1919. He was adjudged to be "sober, reliable, willing and a good fitter and turner. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal. His records include a request for references from the Navy on 11th June 1920 and refers to Acting Artificer 4th Class M.35477 William Neville HUNT of HMS "Excellent" (enlisted ? ....27th April 1920). He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 27th April 1920 for 12 years, now 5 feet 6 inches (167.6 cm), chest 36.5" (92.7 cm), brown hair hazel eyes. It was recorded his 4 years Army service could count towards Naval Pension and Long Service & Good Conduct Medal. HMS "Excellent was a "stone frigate", i.e. a shore base, at Whale Island near Portsmouth. William Hunt's records show he was posted to the following:- HMS Excellent.......27th April 1920 to 24th June 1921 as Acting Ordinary Artificer 4th Class HMS Calcutta........25th June 1921..promoted Ord Artificer 4th class 3rd October 1921 and 3rd class on 27th April 1923 HMS Excellent.......28th September 1923 HMS Weymouth............5th April 1924 HMS Dublin..............24th May 1924 HMS Lowestoft...........25th May 1924 HMS Excellent...........24th November 1926 promoted Ord Artificer class 2 on 27th April 1927 HMS Dartmouth...........30th April 1927 HMS Constance (Dartmouth) 1st January 1928 HMS Argus...............8 March 1928 There his Naval records end for the present. The medal ribbon bar above is believed to be correct, the right hand ribbon being the Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct medal, as his 4 years in the Army were added to his Naval service. That seems to be the only record on line to date. In the 1939 register, at Waterside, Soham, were his father Thomas B [12-8-1859] millwright and agricultural machinist; his mother Susan [29-3-1865]; his brother Thomas C [24-7-1891] millwright/agricultural machinist; aunt Susan HUNT [29-3-1865] and sisters Ethel M [2-3-1895], Jessie [14-7-1897] a school teacher. No closed records. |
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HMS Hood was 44,600 tons, had a crew of 1,418 and was faster than the Bismarck with a maximum speed of 32 knots. The Hood had been launched in 1918 and was
armed with 8 x 15 inch guns, 12 x 5.5 inch guns, 8 x 4 inch AA guns, 24 x 2 pound guns and 4 x 21 inch torpedoes. However, the Hood suffered from one major
flaw – she did not have the same amount of armour as the Bismarck. The fact that the Hood was faster than the Bismarck by 3 knots was as a result of her lack
of sufficient armour for a naval battle fought in World War Two. What had been considered sufficient armour in 1918 when Hood was built, was to prove a fatal
flaw in 1941. The "Bismark" and "Prinz Eugen" broke out into the Atlantic where they would have created havoc amongst Allied shipping. The Royal Navy pursued them with "Hood" and "Prince of Wales" but lost them for a time at night and in fog, but the cruiser "Suffolk" re established contact early on the 24th May 1941. "Prinz Eugen" hit the "Hood" from about 22 Km and ignited some anti aircraft shells on deck, not a great problem, but then the "Hood" was hit by a salvo of high trajectory shells from "Bismark". One is believed to have pierced the deck armour, exploding one of the magazines. This tore the "Hood" in half and she sunk within 2 minutes taking 1,415 men with her, just three men survived. "Prince of Wales" was forced to disengage due to damage but not before hitting "Bismark" three time, which damage caused the Bismark to turn to return to safety in occupied France. Before she could do that she was intercepted by aircraft from "Ark Royal" who damaged her sufficiently for the "Rodney" and "King George V" to catch up and sink her. |
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